Amusement device



J. M. LEACH 2,446,540

AMUSEMENT DEVICE Filed May 21, 1947 Patented Aug. 10, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE AMUSEMENT DEVICE John M. Leach, Port Washington, Y.

Application May 21, 1947, Serial No. 749,537

The present invention relates to amusement devices, and, more particularly, to amusement devices of the jack-in-the-box type.

The present invention is a modified form 'of the invention disclosed in application S. N. 632,373, filed December 3, 1945, entitled Amusement devices, which has resulted in Patent No. 2,422,913 of June 24, 1947, and this application is a continuation in part of that application.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel form of amusement device which produces a new play sensation and is safer than amusement devices of the jack-in-the-box type heretofore known. a

Other objects and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the attached specification and claims.

In the drawings, throughout which like reference characters refer to the same element therein shown,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a device made in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the plane shown by line 22 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is an elevational view of the device of Fig. 1 showing it in opened position, and

Fig. 4 is detailed view of a sleeve insert for the head of the device of Fig. 1.

The now preferred form of the invention comprises a box I!) having two top pieces l2 suitably hinged to the sides and provided with a conjoined hole l5. A bottom I4 is suitably attached to the box and carries a tube It attached thereto as by being forced into a hole l8 in the bottom and provided with a hollow bore [1. The tube It is flanged at the top as shown at 20, and is provided with an opening IS in its side formed by outturning a piece 22 from the side.

A head 24 is provided with an opening 26 which receives the tube IS in the position shown in Fig. 2. A sleeve 28 is inserted within the head 24 and its opening forms a continuation of the opening 26 in the head.

Referring to Fig. 4, the sleeve 28 has a slot 30 cut in its side which receives a spring actuated catch 32. The catch 32 is suitably pivoted in place in the slot as by the pin 34 and is urged in counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 4, by a spring 36 which encircles the pin 34 and has one leg bearing against the catch 32 and the other leg bearing against the top of the slot.

The catch 32 has a finger 38 having a bevel fac 40 and is also provided with a detent 42. The bevel face 40 cams the catch in a clockwise direc- 5 Claims. (01. 46146) tion, as viewed in Fig. 4, when the head is passed over the tube I6 as shown in Fig. 2 and allows the finger 38 to snap back and catch under the flange 20 on the tube.

The head 24 is suitably connected to a spring 44 as by seating the top coil of the spring 44 in a groove 45 formed in the neck portion of the head. The opposite end of the spring 44 is suitably fastened to the bottom l4 of the box ID as, for example, by staples (not shown). A covering 48 formed of cloth or any other desiredmaterial and preferably decorated is placed over the spring and is also fastened to the head 24 as by being tucked under the top coil ofthe spring 44.

The head 24 may represent a clown, as shown, or may be shaped as an animal, such as a monkey,

rabbit, seal, etc., or have any other desired form or shape.

A length of elastic, such as a piece of rubber, woven textile elastic or a metallic spring, is suitably connected to the bottom M of the box ID as, for example, by a staple 52. The elastic 56 passes through the hole IS in. the tube It and is connected at its opposite end to a piece of cord or cable 54 as by means of a clamp 56 which may be a slotted metal ball which serves as a release as later explained. The opposite end of the cable 54 passes freely through the hole 15 in the closures I2 and is passed through an opening in a knob 58 and prevented from pulling out of the knob by a knot 60. The knob in the embodiment shown is in the shape of a clowns hat but may take other shapes, such as a ball when the head represents a seal or a carrot when the head represents a rabbit.

The operation of the device is as follows: Starting with the position shown in Fig. 3, the head is pushed down against the forc of spring 44 until the finger 38 of the catch 32 snaps under the flange 20 of the tube 16 and holds the head in the position shown in Fig. 2. The knob 58 is then raised sufliciently to close the doors 12 after which it is released and pulled down onto the doors. l2 by the elastic 50.

When the knob 58 is raised to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2, the release ball 56 rises freely in the bore I! of the tube I6 but is of suflicient size to strike the detent 42 and rock the catch 32 so as to move the finger 38 out from under the flange 21!. This releases the head 24 from the tube [6 and it flies upwardly under the force of the spring 44 and opens the doors l2 suddenly and finally is stopped by the knob 58 which then becomes a hat.

The efiect of the head striking the hat pro- The invention having been described, what is,

claimed is:

1. An amusement device comprising a:..casing.

a hinged closure therefor, a spring within and having one end fixed relative to the-casing, a head carried by the spring and having an opening therein, a flanged tube within the casingwith the flange received within the opening in the head,

a releasable catch carried by the head and seated beneath: the said flange. to: hold the spring in compressed condition, a knoboutside of the casing, a. cable connected to the knob and extending through the closured opening into the casing and into the tube, a. release carried by the cable so: that upon the knob being raised the release disengages the catch and permits the spring to expand and'foree the head along the cable until itrstrikes the knob; opening the hinged closure and: projecting from the'casing on its way.

' 2; The device cfcl-aim 1 in which the closure isadouble door.

3. The device of claim 1 in which the knob is in the shaped a hat.

4*. An amusement device comprising a casing, a: hinged closure therefor; a spring within and havingone endfixed; relative to the casing, a head carried by the spring and having an opening therein, an upstanding flanged member within the casing with the flange received within the opening in the head, a releasabl catch carried by the head and seated beneath the flange to hold the spring in compressed condition, a knob outside of the casing, a cable connected to the knob and extending through the closured opening into the casing, a release carried by the cable so that upon the knob being raised the release disengages the catch and permits the spring to expand and force the head along the cable until it strikes 'the knob, opening the hinged closure and pro- .iecting. from the casing on its way.

5, An amusement device comprising a casing, a hinged" closure therefor, a spring within and having one end fixed relative to the casing, a head carried by the spring and having an opening therein, an upstanding flanged member within the casing with the flange received within the opening in the head, a releasable catch carried bythe-head andseated'beneaththe flange-to hold the spring in-compressed condition, a knoboutside the casing, acable connected tothe knob and extending'through the closured opening into the casing; a release carried by the cable, a length or elasticmaterial connected at one endto the cable andconnectcd at its other end to the easing, whereby upon the knob: being raised; the release disengages: the catch and permits the spring to expand'and. force the head along the cable to open the hinged: closure and finally strike-the knob; the saidelastic-materialresiliently maintaining the cable within the casing when the knob is not in raised position.

JOHN M. LEACH. 

